This invention pertains to image readers and, more particularly, to a scanner for scanning lottery tickets.
Lottery games are a very attractive way for state and local governments in the United States, Canada and elsewhere to raise public funds for education, public programs and various projects. Lottery games are very popular among consumers and taxpayers. Some states have weekly or biweekly lottery games in which a customer selects a series of six numbers ranging from 1 to 60, for a state regulated price, such as fifty cents. The selected numbers appear in a row on a lottery ticket. Customers often purchase more than one series of six numbers. Lottery tickets can include 10 or more rows of lottery numbers with each row containing a different series of selected numbers.
Some states also have daily or weekly lotto (lottery) games in which a customer picks a set of five numbers for a state regulated price. The selected numbers appear in a row on a daily lottery ticket. Daily and weekly lotto customers often purchase more than one set of five numbers. Daily and weekly lottery tickets can also contain multiple rows of lottery numbers.
A grand prize is awarded to or split among customers who correctly select all lottery numbers for a given lottery drawing. A second place prize is awarded or divided among customers who correctly pick all but one lottery number for a particular lottery drawing. A lesser third prize is often awarded to customers who correctly get all but two lottery numbers for a lottery drawing on a selected date.
Many lottery customers purchase numerous lottery tickets. It is not uncommon for customers to puchase 10 to 40 tickets especially when the grand lotto prize is millions of dollars. Some customers or pools of customers purchase hundreds of lottery tickets.
It is difficult, cumbersome, awkward, tedious, confusing and very time-consuming to compare the winning lottery numbers appearing in local newspapers with rows of numbers on lottery tickets. Consumers often get stiff necks, bloodshot eyes and eyestrain, checking lottery numbers in this manner. Furthermore, many customers get tired and easily confused with using this conventional technique to check lottery ticket numbers and often miss detecting a winning sequence of lottery numbers appearing on the tickets they purchased. In other words, many ticket holders are unaware that they possess a winning lottery ticket. As a result, many customers fail to collect the grand prize, second prize, or third prize that they are entitled to.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide an affordable, convenient scanner for consumers which overcomes most, if not all, of the preceding problems.